Komatsu Corporation

Kouichi Ishida

Shinichi Fujimoto

Kenichi Tomita

Takeshi Kajihara

Hiroyuki Mizukami

Reiko Hara

Ikuto Aoyama

A thermoelectric power module capable of withstanding a long time use in a high temperature environment where a temperature (Th) of a higher temperature portion exceeds 250&#xb0; C. The thermoelectric power module includes: a thermoelectric power element; a first diffusion prevention layer consisting of molybdenum (Mo) and disposed on a surface of the thermoelectric power element; a second diffusion prevention layer consisting of an intermetallic compound of nickel-tin (Ni&#x2014;Sn) and disposed on a surface of the first diffusion prevention layer opposite to the thermoelectric power element side; an electrode; a third diffusion prevention layer consisting of an intermetallic compound of nickel-tin (Ni&#x2014;Sn) and disposed on a surface of the electrode; a solder layer containing lead (Pb) at not less than 85% and configured to join the second diffusion prevention layer and the third diffusion prevention layer to each other.

Thermoelectric power module

A thermoelectric module comprising an N-type thermoelectric element having excellent characteristics in air atmosphere even when the temperature rises to a medium-to-high temperature region of about 500&deg; C. and, further, improving the conversion efficiency of, a thermoelectric module, by the combination of an excellent P-type thermoelectric material and an excellent n-type thermoelectric material containing a compound having a skutterudite structure, the module comprising an N-type thermoelectric elements each containing a compound having a skutterudite structure, P-type thermoelectric elements each connected directly or by way of a metal member to the N-type thermoelectric elements and containing an Mn&mdash;Si series compound.

Thermoelectric module

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Hiratsuka, Japan

Kouichi Ishida